Sukinda: In order to encourage the conservation of biodiversity and ethnicity, the Sukinda Chromite Mine ( SCM) of Tata Steel in Jajpur district of Odisha organised an agro forest food diversity festival ‘Prajatiya Khadyotsav’. This is a humble initiative of SCM to contribute to the National Biodiversity target of 2020.

Another exciting part of the programme was exhibition and cooking of ethnic and age old traditional food where more than 60 varieties of those were displayed. There were 22 varieties of traditional cake called Pitha in local parlance, 5 types of rice, 13 types of ethnic curry, 15 types of roots, tubers and many more. There was also live cooking demonstration by tribal ladies how to prepare unique mouth-watering tribal food.

Lauding this initiative of Tata Steel Dr Prasad Das, Sr. Scientist, Odisha Biodiversity Board said programmes like these will go a long way in promoting the cause of biodiversity and create more awareness on it among the people of the state.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Pankaj Satija, General Manager, Operations, Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division, Tata Steel said this is part of a series of similar events we have been doing here like Spot the Species, Leaf Identification, Green Therapy, Jaibakala Vividhata to contribute our bit to the National Biodiversity Target 1 which aims, by 2020, a significant proportion of the country’s population, especially the youth, is aware of the values of biodiversity.

While Dr. Paramananda Patel of Academy of Language and Tribal Culture, Bhubaneswar, Government of Odisha spoke on tribal culture and food habits, Dr B B Panda, Sr. Scientist of Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack explained to the locals how new quick growing paddy varieties can be cultivated in water scarce areas.

Sharing her experience Smt Ghiuria, the young tribal organic farmer of Koraput, said as we develop hybrid variety of paddy and other food grains, it is also equally important to conserve indigenous species to maintain the natural biodiversity. Echoing her thoughts Smt Laxmi Marandi, a tribal lady who had displayed tribal food Lau simba pitha, a variety of rice pan cake prepared with vegetables, at the exhibition said we should preserve our food diversity for posterity so that they can know their roots.